Week Four

October 25, 2019

Day 22 - Jackson, WY to Jackson, WY

AUGUST 6

XXX mi to XXX mi

Good morning from Jackson Hole! THIS PLACE! I can’t get over how lucky I am to have the Halls let me vacation with them. In this beautiful home on a hill where early enough in the morning you can see elk and deer in the fields below. We had a late morning and headed outside of town to some “hot springs” Ryan found - and they were adorable! Turns out they’re more like a pool because we were sharing the space with some summer camps and young families. There was an old pup sitting in the ticket window for a while watching over us. But they were pleasantly steamy and we had a good time at how random of a situation it was.

Everyone hopped in and we had a great time! And as we finished up, we split off and went to explore the waterfall we passed on the way in. The drive to the springs was a short distance but a long drive over dirt roads and lots of dust in the car and some mountain goats and mule deer along the way!

The waterfall took some steep climbing up and down the hills and the water was icy but so beautiful. And after heading back we hopped in showers and went to town for a shop around downtown. Before leaving, Erin convinced us all to book tickets for the rodeo tomorrow, so once in town Erin and I booked it to find hats and we kept running out of luck! It’s hard to find that perfect balance of something to find in a Western town with rodeos that you’d also want to wear in normal life outside of said Western town. We kept finding contenders only to not find the right size. But we tried hard and eventually the family headed off to dinner and I stayed around waiting to meet up with my friend from FT Natalie. After talking to family on the phone for a bit longer, I headed to Natalie’s to her empty house to wait around while she finished her run and we had dinner.

She’s working as a program director on a ranch outside of Jackson and I luckily caught her on her day off. It was so refreshing catching up like we were back at FT again, We had only really been friends for a day because we met the last full day in El Capitan but there are some people you can connect with without needing so much buildup - and I’m thankful for that! Another close friend recently said to me that some of her closest people are the ones farthest away geographically and I think it’s usually really true! Something about the special relationship you can develop with people that live far away because it’s based on specific similarities that don’t need close proximity to maintain it. We ate dinner outside on her picnic table watching the sunset and taking portraits because that’s what inevitably happens when I get together with friends from FT. It was hard to leave for the night but we had to part ways after catching up for so long and just talking about life. I’m so happy I was able to see her and will hopefully see her again soon before FT 2020!

Day 23 - Jackson, WY to Jackson, WY

AUGUST 7

XXX mi to XXX mi

This morning we hit it! Hit the trail guidebooks that is. Erin and I spent the first part of the morning picking through the guidebooks in the house to find a trail through Tetons and then headed out for the necessary pre-hike breakfast. Two pastries each and coffee from Persephone in downtown Jackson. We ate out first, drank the coffee, and set out for the XXX trail around Taggart and Bradley lakes. OH MAN. It was beautiful. More description to come! But we started in tshirts and leggings and ended in sports bras and tank tops and then bathing suits and beach towels. Lake day or National Park?

We headed home after pastry number 2 and then were wiped out after a long day, sitting in the car wondering why?? Then realized it was because we had had a long day only to have eaten water, espresso, pastries and a clif bar. So off to leftover Thai food and showers because RODEO.

Of course it starts raining a bit when we’re meant to be sitting outside. We set off in the cars and our first traffic stop was a mother moose and her calf just snacking on the side of the road down from the house. They stopped, look back at us, and went back to their business. Upon arrival, we immediately find lots of cowboys and horses in trailers and plenty of tassels on the backs of shirts.

We sat in the grandstands to watch everything and knew nothing about what was about to happen. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, between being excited about the energy in the arena and watching the poor animals freak out each time they were released. But it was still such a spectacle and everything I imagined and more. We didn’t find our perfect cowboy hats but it was a crazy and good night. And Erin’s got me all set up with a playlist for the road tomorrow!

Day 24 - Jackson, WY to Parker, CO

AUGUST 8

XXX mi to XXX mi

Leaving day. It’s hard!

Even the little gifts I gave the Halls weren’t enough to say thank you for everything I’ve been able to do with them. Erin even helped me organize my car again, even with folded sheets! But I had to say my goodbyes and last hugs and Lauren and Erin came out in cowboy hats to send me off. And even that took about 10 minutes until I had to pull the trigger or I wouldn’t have ever left. I grabbed gas, didn’t make any stops, and headed straight for Parker, CO to see Ruthie and Kaleb! It’s a scenic then quiet ride into and through Denver. I listened to Erin’s entire fire playlist for 5 hours and had some podcasts and about 8 hours later I made it. On the drive in I could see storms around me and double rainbows forming through the landscape. I’m excited to come back to Wyoming again in the future and see more of the state.

It was around 8ish by the time I got in to Parker and their adorable house. Oatmeal and Juno were the most affectionate welcome committee and it was so nice catching up with Ruthie on the couch for a bit before we headed off to bed! Being around friends from home is so, so comforting.

Day 25 - Parker, CO to Parker, CO

AUGUST 9

XXX mi to XXX mi

Next day Ruthie and I got up early and decided to forego a hike in favor of coffee and errands. We went to the cutest Swedish coffee shop in downtown Parker and talked about rowing and rugby and everything and everyone from our old rowing team. We got coffees and two pastries to split. Then errands and home to set up, make food, and figure out a way to kill some bees around the back porch and a snake that kept coming out for a peek!

Ruthie had some coworkers over to celebrate her last day of work in her old position, and they brought snacks, pizza, a PIE, bloomin’ onions, and wigs for the casual night. We played Spikeball, I caught up with Kaleb, lots of whiteclaw and lots of huskies. We ended the night with good whiskey and more catching up and plans for the morning!

Day 26 - Parker, CO to Parker, CO

AUGUST 10

XXX mi to XXX mi

We set a wake up time for 7:30ish but it was best if we pushed it back, and we ended up leaving at 9 ha. I got ready earlier and came down and Ruthie and I watched the XXX Netflix show and had some leftover salad and blueberry pie for breakfast.

Kaleb and I took off to hike in Roxborough State Park and we talked about traveling in the future and what got us into photography/obsessions with Sony cameras and ambassadors. The hike was near Red Rocks, and there were some residential areas at the base as well as views of downtown Denver in the way distance. It was beautiful and dry and rocky, and the views walking around the edge of the hill were so good. Then we ran some errands and headed back towards the airport to pick up Ben! On the way out we talked about the conspiracies behind some of the odd art inside of Denver airport and the massive blue mustang outside it called Blucifer.

We went for Indian food in downtown Parker tonight with delicious naan and other things and headed home to watch Black Mirror. Excited for tomorrow!

Day 27 - Parker, CO to Parker, CO

AUGUST 11

XXX mi to XXX mi

GOOD MORNING MOUNTAINS. It’s off to Rocky Mountain National Park. We took off super early to make it to the best parking lot, and honestly we barely made it. The drive out is so beautiful, through Estes Park. Of course we picked a rainy day but it kept the crowds low and the fog made everything so calming. We went for the Bear Lake Trail, hitting all 3 lakes and stopping for waterfall slow shutter photos and Ruthie’s bird-watching. They talked about snowshoeing this trail in the winter, and the views were incredible. So different from home, and just as unique.

Then we took the Trail Ridge Rd to the peak, going up to an alpine tundra level altitude. It got colder and rainier at the top, so Ben and I lasted .5 seconds in shorts and wet rain jackets against the wind, but if there wasn’t inclement weather or fog we could have seen mountain goats or marmots. And on the way down we passed by the largest elk any of us had ever seen - massive and just laying with some felled trees, antlers as big as skyscrapers more or less.

We grabbed snacks for the drive back and everyone except Kaleb quietly sunk into the scenery, still foggy which added to the atmosphere. The guys dropped Ruthie and I off at the minute clinic for her to see a doctor and for me to get an inhaler refill. Looooong night there, maybe about 2 hours while the guys got hungrier - and disappointed when the brewery they wanted to hit for dinner was taking a personal day. So we had Torchy’s tacos, went to see the infamous groundhogs all around Ruthie’s work, and had margarita’s. And some Black Mirror to round it out.

Day 28 - Parker, CO to Rapid City, SD

AUGUST 12

XXX mi to XXX mi

Ben and I left quietly in the morning heading towards South Dakota. We had an airbnb booked for Rapid City, SD - a place neither of us had been to before. The goal wads to head to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse before the night, and we drove for hours through plains and plains. Conveniently, Ben can’t drive my car because the driver’s seat can’t extend far enough back for his legs. Conveniently. So when I need a break, we pull over for a power nap in a pullout off the road.

We start getting closer to town right around dinner time, so the sun is slowly starting to go down. We instead drive through Wind Cave National Park, with the cave’s being shut down for renovations so we drive through the rest of the land. The bison started coming out to feed in the fields and groundhogs were everywhere. And once we lost cell reception and drove the 15 minutes through the park, we decided to turn around and drive back through because our GPS still had those directions downloaded. We drove through again until we saw one of the bison had come up from the field to the parking area around one of the informational signs, scratching his back on the wooden posts! I pulled in at the edge of the lot and Ben begged me to drive away, so we know who is the scaredy-er cat here. Then driving back through town, we drove up as far as the pay stations to Crazy Horse, and you could see just how impressive he is from that far away. We decided not to pay and drive to see him up close because it was closing down within the next 30 minutes. But it’s another thing I’m adding to my future list!

I have been driving in what feels like perpetual dust for weeks now. And zero rain. So Ben and I stopped for gas and i used the windshield cleaner next to the pump and made it even worse, mixing dirty water and dust. So, especially at night, it was a challenge to see clearly through the thousands of layers of dust to say the least.

Then we hit up Mt. Rushmore, and I can only imagine how beautiful the drive up would be during the day because the twists and curves winding up the mountain were surrounded by views over the city below and rock faces among bushy trees. So it’s pitch black when we get up there, and there’s still construction in front of the big heads, but the entrance up to them feels so…palatial.And it’s open late so we missed most of the crowds. But overall, it was a special things just standing still looking at the mountain quietly.

Unfortunately, the hanger set in strong and we left for our airbnb. We had a high quality McDonald’s dinner and went to bed. But I found an unrecognizable dead bug under my pillow so it wasn’t the most restless sleep of my life, but we made it to South Dakota.

WEEK FOUR

AUGUST 6-12

Week Three

August 28, 2019

DAY 15 - Sunnyvale, CA to San Francisco, CA

JULY 30

3864.2 mi to XXX mi

I made it to San Francisco! Land of my childhood watching Full House!

I took my time getting ready and leaving Kelly’s place this morning. She made us breakfast and took off for work, us planning that we should definitely make plans to see each other at least once before YFT next year!

It’s only about an hour drive up to San Francisco, so I took my time and made stops along the way. I directed to Half Moon Bay, the sleepiest and foggiest little beach town with Half Moon Bay State Beach. I got in for free with my CA state park receipt from Big Sur a few days before and just walked a little around the beach. The surf was rough and everyone was bundled for the day. The campsite was already full by 10am, so note to self about coming back and planning ahead to camp! The campsites sit a 15 second walk up from the grass above the shore.

I left town and rolled through consistent small surf towns, seeing surfing lessons and bike riders and dog walkers going about their morning in these tiny but lively places, with each new town I would say to myself that would be the best place to live.

Afterwards, I headed inland, away from the 101, towards San Francisco. I’ll reconnect with the 1 later!

Kate had the day off today, so I was so lucky to have a whole afternoon with her before spending the next day by myself in the city. We caught up at her apartment right in the Presidio, the former military base and now park operating under the National Park Service, with insane views of the ocean and the bridge behind trees. Then headed out to find the Painted Ladies, even venturing farther out to find the actual front which the Tanner’s house was based off.

The house isn’t in the row of famous houses, called the Painted Ladies. And the houses themselves sit right across from Alamo Square, the spot with iconic pictures of picnics in front of the view. But being there in person, is less than impressing based on what I had expected! I loved looking around, but my ideas of a big park in front of massive colorful houses and feeling like I was in the San Fran of my childhood dreams wasn’t true.

Then we had a picnic in her car and headed back to her place for a walk along the coast across from her apartment which led us up to views of the bridge. It’s all uphill and it’s worth it, especially when it’s chilly and windy. There’s the same familiar scrub along the mountainy cliffside that I would see around Big Sur, and then you can see the Golden Gate Bridge barely peeking out through fog! No matter what, it was still exciting to see it in person, even coming around corners and seeing it again I had little flutters every time.

We came back home, ordered Burma Superstar and we talked about our favorite comedians, comedy podcasts and movies. And watched the Bachelor! A good day.

DAY 16 - San Francisco, CA to San Francisco, CA

JULY 31

XXX mi to 3954.5 mi

All day in San Fran! I decided to go on a run this morning but spent about an hour deciding where to go. I settled on my location, so I first started driving across the bridge to find a spot near some marinas. I couldn’t make it work, but I did find some seals swimming in a quiet little fishing marina in Fort Mason. Then I turned around, stopping for a peek at the Sutro Baths and ending at Ocean Beach. I ran into Golden Gate Park, heading towards the Bison Paddock and around through some soccer fields. I haven’t been able to run any since being on the road, so even though it was a rough few miles, it felt nice to run around green spaces and the beach.

Then I headed back for a drive around town and a shower. I headed out again towards Fisherman’s Wharf with the main intention to see the sea lions. For what felt like years I could hear them but couldn’t pinpoint from where until I turned a corner to see all the people around all the seals. I was surprised to be able to see Alcatraz so well. It was so windy, and walking around in the breeze felt so nice compared to so many hot days I’ve been having. I walked up and down the pier and towards the cruise docks before heading back as the sun started setting so Kate and I could go out to dinner.

We found a local spot she hadn’t tried called Tommy’s Joynt - highly recommended for a fun and quirky atmosphere and massive sandwiches!

DAY 17 - San Francisco, CA to Crescent City, CA

AUGUST 1

3954.5 mi to 4375.1 mi

It was so fun staying with Kate, but it was time for me to leave so I took my time heading north. I stopped in Sausalito for a croissant and coffee from Caffe Tutti - a sweet spot that reminded me a bit of old mirrored, dark wood cafes in Italy and France (especially this tiny one I found in Zagreb). I walked around, finding some postcards in a shop with the biggest Tintin collection in the US, who knew? And walked down the sidewalks around the bay, eventually turning around and heading out. Walking the small town, especially on the water, was so peaceful - partly because there were few tourists in the immediate area but also because I think rocky shores are very calming. Then I headed up into the mountains around Mt. Tamalpais and past Muir Woods to Point Reyes National Seashore. My first pit stop was in Stinson Beach for a coffee, soft serve, and a walk down to the beach only to realize you had to pay an entrance fee and I had walked right past the parking attendant, so I headed back and ran into a doe and her two fawns right around my car. I stopped in a local bookshop, grabbed a map and my favorite car freshener from a surf shop and headed into Point Reyes.

Point Reyes is indescribable, at least to me on a supremely foggy day. I first passed through one lane roads and little foggy kayaking docks and small expensive little towns, tree farms, an abandoned (maybe not?) white house, little peeks through trees of people paddling on the lake, and finally into tall yellow grass blowing around. I wished I had more time to explore Drake’s Estero. I stopped so many times illegally on the side of the road because too many times my excitement outweighed my conscience. And eventually I made myself just take it in from the road. But I really love this kind of environment - the wind and tall grass and fog. There’s something cozy and comforting about it for me.

There came a point where I looked at the time and realized if I drove any more through the seashore, I would be putting myself in my already booked campsite farther and farther into the night. I.e. 10pm or later. So I exercised better judgment and turned around and headed back through all of the beautiful things I had been admiring.

Once out of the area, the drive is still on the 101 and it’s mostly coastal; little towns and neighborhoods on small lake inlets and charming little schools. It’s mostly winding roads through tall redwoods. GORGEOUS TALL TREES. And it was getting darker and darker. There are still bends in the road where you peek out to see the ocean and back in to the trees. I landed in a Crescent City KOA at spot 9, highly recommended by the woman who booked me in (and also the woman who checked me out in the morning). She didn’t tell me why so I figured that out myself. It’s completely secluded and you can see zero stars, trying to get some shots from my sunroof because the spot was so tightly packed around the car space. So to me, I just figured it was a cloudy night. But I was in for a surprise in the morning! I gathered my things and jumped into bed.

DAY 18 - Crescent City, CA to Bend, OR

AUGUST 2

4375.1 mi to 4766.8 mi

I woke up and saw the sky - just kidding, it was literally only redwoods. Towering so high and blocking all of the sun above me. It was so magnificent, I couldn’t even begin to highlight it in photos. I explored the area a bit in daylight, just the adjoining little picnic table belonging to my site attached by a little break in the trees. I couldn’t recommend this place enough, and I would love an extended trip back to this very site. But I headed out and crossed straight into Oregon (the other state who pumps your gas for you!) It's long stretches of windy roads through ginormous redwoods still. I aimed for Coo’s Bay before heading inland to Bend. I stopped instead a little earlier at Cape Arago State Park and found the most immaculate little piece of land, looking at small little woody beaches. There were a few people getting ready to lunch at some of the tucked away picnic benches. And I could hear sea lions in the distance so I was partly interested in seeing where they might have been coming from. Walking back to a sign about the area, the noise got louder so I couldn’t not try to find more. I started into this tiny trail where I hoped it would take me not too long to find them. I finally found them, from a little stretch of trail that fences off at a peak so you can look out at the rocks below. To the right and left are tiny beaches that you can kind of make out from the bushes lining the trail. And two big pack of sea lions were barking and lounging and swimming in the surf right below. I had the place to myself.

I headed inland to Bend, arriving right around sunset to AVID Cider Co to meet my host Michael and listen to his girlfriend’s band perform. It was a perfect atmosphere, the cider co attached to another brewery and food along it’s sides and lots of people sitting at tables outside and around it. I was put in touch with Michael through a family friend and it was so kind of him and his family to host me. I stayed for a bit then headed to his house to clean up and settle in while he brought his daughter home. She gave me an in depth tour of the kitchen and then we all talked about what I should get into tomorrow. I wish I could stay in Bend longer but it’s a perfect one night stop for now.

Day 19 - Bend, Or to Crystal Cane Hot Springs, OR

AUGUST 3

4766.8 mi to XXX mi

I took off after breakfast and lots of coffee for the Painted Hills north of Bend. It was quite a drive through beautiful forests and then into dry hills painted red and yellow. It’s beautiful and hot and dusty, so I decided to stay away from hiking for a bit in favor of keeping my temperature regulated. In the parking lot a German family walked behind my car and, seeing my Tennessee license plate, stared a conversation amongst themselves about Elvis. Happy to be a reminder to them.

Then I hoped for cell service and headed to a hot springs Michael had recommended. Along the way, I stopped by Mitchell, OR to see their “Business Loop”, a half mile drive through the town that’s mostly for sale. I stopped in at Tiger Town Brewing Co for an amazing burger and local beer and completely enjoyed the little experience inside the little place with a quirky bartender and a lot of personality everywhere.

Closer to the Hot Springs, the roads started narrowing and the surroundings became drier and more sparsely populated. So I was excited to see what I was getting into. When I arrived, they gave a tour of the little property and I settled in to the common room with A/C instead of exhausting myself outside in the 100 degree heat.

Around 7pm I headed out to snack around and sit in the cooler air and watch the USWNT v Ireland game. As the sun set more and more, I loved sitting still and watching it set in all the colors over the cow fields and the RVs parked on the hill and the pond next to me. Birds would come in and fly away. As it got decidedly darker, I got ready to dip in the hot springs. The most peaceful feeling, even if I couldn’t see much without my glasses on. I parked myself towards the sloping edge so I could keep my knees and arms above water and balance out the heat. I could have stayed there for hours. But I didn’t, I came out and sat stargazing with my camera for another hour or so until I decided to end the day and dream about it asleep.

Day 20 - Crystal Cane Hot Springs, OR to Boise, ID

AUGUST 4

XXX mi to XXX mi

Off early this morning heading to Boise! It’s not a far drive, so I made it into town at about 12:30 and headed straight to the Kellner’s. Marie and my aunt Cammie have been friends for years, and Marie moved up to Idaho for law school and stayed for work. But it’s easy to understand why they stayed, it reminds me so much of home! I had the absolute best time with Marie, Jeff, and little Rory Jane. First we had lunch after Jeff and Rory came back from the park. Then a few very intense round a of Uno and games in the backyard before Rory and I went inside to put on a puppet show. Because next was pool time, so we made our way to the community pool, a completely retro above ground cement neighborhood pool complete with separate male and female entrances. I met lots of Rory’s friends and we had a great time in the still very intense heat and sunlight. Coming back, while Marie and Jeff made dinner Rory and I went outside to practice her secret language - saying words spelled backwards so she can speak privately with her friends and no one else can understand! I helped her out with the big words, and she’d run inside and try to trip her mom up with how much she couldn’t understand. We stayed up late that night, Jeff and Marie trying to help me figure out the next few weeks and exploring using some atlases. It was so refreshing, listening to their stories and advice about what to do next in life, both on the road and after. I really couldn’t thank them enough and appreciate so much how willing they were to open everything up to me. I slept in their sweet converted nook, definitely not ready for goodbyes tomorrow.

Day 21 - Boise, ID to Jackson, WY

AUGUST 5

XXX mi to XXX mi

Up and away again! I got up for breakfast with the family and we debated what movie Rory should be able to watch today. We had breakfast and I piddled around until I had the car packed. I brought Rory outside to see my cool setup and we hung out for a bit while a neighbor came over to drop some things off. I mustered up my courage and had to take off an hour later than I had hoped, and after tears on my end back inside the car I headed towards Jackson Hole! I had a long drive ahead of me and long stretches of road construction before me so my ETA kept pushing back. I was excited, though, for the drive because last night Marie and I talked about the Lost Rivers and the mountain ranges between them that dead-ended right into fields.

I also passed right through Craters of the Moon National Monument and BOY I could not get over it - the pull to Jackson kept me from stopping too many times so I have a lot of memories stashed up in my brain from that drive. So then I make my way through the rest of Idaho and it’s such a beautiful place. I passed through lots of places I want to return to, little ranches and towns by the river. And as I kept in touch with Erin about meeting her, I kept pushing my arrival time closer and closer to the 5 o’clock deadline! I followed her address to a scenic viewpoint within Grand Tetons and couldn’t see any water. And cell service was spotty so I lucked out and got a message from her that the raft guide said I wasn’t far off, so I turned around, left the park, and made it to the parking lot as everyone was waiting in the van. And I didn’t know the plan was to play it off as “Erin’s friend” so Lauren wouldn’t know it was me! So it was a fun surprise to catch her off guard sitting in the back of the van. It was the sweetest thing being invited to be a part of the Hall family vacation. I’ve been around them for 10 years now, so it also brought a little piece of home to my trip so far.

We got on life vests and sunscreened up and hopped into the float for a paddle down the Snake River, and it was the perfect time of day for the sun to peek through the trees and behind the Teton peaks. We passed by postcard views, the approximate point Ansel Adams took his famous photo which was believed to be from the top of a tree that doesn’t exist anymore, and all the little island where mama moose sometimes come to to give birth. We passed by a new eaglet sitting in the rocks and lots of mule deer along the shore. We even got Menoah, David, and Lauren to row us back in to shore.

Ugh it was beautiful! And the weather was gorgeous, the perfect amount of breeze. After the trip, we split up and Erin, David, Lauren and I headed to pick up dinner while the rest of the family headed home. We picked up Thai food in the village and had a really nice time lounging at the house. I can’t wait for the rest of the week! More pictures to come <3

WEEK 3

JULY 30 - AUGUST 5

Week Two

July 31, 2019

DAY 8 - Tempe, AZ to Tempe, AZ

JULY 23

2406.2 mi to 2406.2 mi

I woke up and made an easy breakfast and did not leave the apartment until dinner time. I knew some days I would want to not push myself to go do something. And being in a place like Arizona where I’m so close to many many incredible things, the last thing I want to do is stretch myself so thinly by spending too much time pushing myself and not enjoying going with the flow. If anything, it’s helping me plan future trips!

I took all day to finish writing up my review of last week and then my internet cut out so I had to re-type everything. I had taken screenshots of the whole piece because I knew if I didn’t and something had happened, it would pretty much all be a lost cause. This has been equal parts journal and update but also I’m releasing it so I can look back in the future and some things just fly away as soon as I’ve released them.

So I finished this up, and Thao and I went for tacos and came back to watch the Bachelorette from last night. Those are the best kind of easy evenings.

DAY 9 - Tempe, AZ to Pacific Beach, CA

JULY 24

2406.2 mi to 2777.0 mi

I slept in again this morning, heading to San Diego to see Nicky because it’s been SO LONG. I didn’t rush too much, because the drive was only about 5 1/2 hours. Today was mostly in the car, so the scenery around me really was the star of the show.

I started off through the Sonoran Desert in Arizona right along the border. Periodically I would get texts from my service provider saying “Welcome to Mexico!” - just because of how the majority of this drive runs so close to the border. This is where you start to hit a lot of small towns with very few amenities. The areas everyone warns you about - get your gas while you can because you’ll never know when you find the next gas station.

Eventually I started driving through massive sand dunes and through a border patrol stop. Then I passed right through Felicity, CA with an advertised population of 2. It’s right on the border between AZ and CA. Then through rocky Jacumba and reservations and the last stretch was through the lower half of the Cleveland National Forest.

So many stark differences between everything I drove through today - and how smoothly the landscapes transitions from desert to forest to scrub and then city.

I got in to San Diego close to 7 and Nicky and I headed to La Jolla for catching up, Puesto tacos and margaritas and then to see some of the sunset from La Jolla Cove. Then gelato where we met two girls who happened to be on their J1 from Ireland! I am embarrassed to say I misinterpreted their accents, but it was still so nice to reminisce so much from my time in Dublin, especially being with one of the best people to me I had over there.

DAY 10 - Pacific Beach, CA to Carmel Valley, CA

JULY 25

2777.0 mi to XXX mi

I let myself wake up naturally then I went hard core trying to see as much of Nicky’s recommendations as I could. I skipped a sit down breakfast and headed straight for La Jolla Cove to see the waters during the day and look for the sea lions. And I FOUND THEM. But they were also very hard to miss. You can hear them from a pretty far ways down the beach, and they gather a crowd wherever they are.

I had to peel away or I would have stuck around all day. Then I headed to Cabrillo National Monument to look out at the Naval Base. The park has a statue dedicated to Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (João Rodrigues Cabrilho), the first European to set foot in California. But his heritage has been constantly debated for centuries, so was he Spanish or Portuguese? The monument and overlooks were gorgeous, it was a quiet and kind of cloudy day so visibility was ever so foggy = mysterious.

Then I headed about 30 minutes north out of the peninsula towards Torrey Pines. It’s a beautiful beach and state reserve with tons of short hikes around the place. I took the Guy Fleming trail for about 2/3rds of a mile and I had the entire quick loop to myself. Quiet beach vistas and saltbush scrub and torrey pines dotted along the little coastal trail and all I could hear were the bugs.

I took a few self-portraits and headed back to town to meet Nicky before we went into Encinitas for dinner and the sunset. We picked up her boyfriend Erik and walked to Stonesteps beach for a view of all the evening surfers and locals hanging out. Dinner at Buona Forchetta was incredible which is unsurprising because I haven’t had a bad experience yet here! We shared pizza and pasta and bruschettone and wine and chats. And the hot tub ended the night perfectly.

We had walked through the cutest neighborhoods to get to the beach, and overall I think I could definitely add San Diego to my list of “very potential cities to move to” right away.

DAY 11 - Carmel Valley, CA to Carmel Valley, CA

JULY 26

XXX mi to 2842.5 mi

Mornings by the pool! We lounged very hard this morning and I now can’t not have a pool and sunshine in the future. That and some summer smooth jazz and a view.

Late afternoon I went to coffee at Phillz in town to work on the computer.

Then we went to a Lion King themed dinner party before heading to a late showing of the new movie.

DAY 12 - Carmel Valley, CA to Joshua Tree National Park

JULY 27

2842.5 mi to 3181.0 mi

Out to the desert! I headed out to Trader Joe’s for a food stock-up and then off to Joshua Tree. It wasn’t a bad drive, only a few hours, and it was through winding roads, desert palms, lots of wind turbines and dry mountains.

I made sure to stock up on ice and essentials before getting in to the park. I arrived to the West Entrance, towards the Hidden Valley campground where I was planning to stay. When you arrive at a campground, you puck up an envelope with an attached camp permit you fill out to clip to your numbered post and then put your payment in the envelope to seal and slip into the boxes in the entrance. I pulled in to Hidden Valley among the big boulders and Joshua trees, found my perfect spot, and then decided it was way too hot to safely spend time outside hiking around, so I left on a quest to check out the other campsites. Which in the process would bring me to all corners of the park!

It stayed around 104 all day, and there’s absolutely no shade in the park. And there were no clouds in the sky. It made for a beautiful day but quite a hot one. I wasn’t foolish enough to think I could survive outside. I drove through the dirt roads, across from north to south. Joshua Tree is located right where the Colorado and Mojave deserts merge. Each have their own typical flora and fauna, but the boundaries are pretty blurry in the park. Joshua trees (which are actually yucca!) are more typical in the Mojave, for example. The park was pretty empty, and very driving friendly so you can still see so much just from the road. But driving across the deserts, into the South which is the Colorado desert towards the Cottonwood Mountains was a special experience, seeing the terrain change so subtly.

I drove and drove and stopped a bunch to look around. I decided to drive up to Key’s View, which boasted a small oasis and views of the Salton Sea and San Andreas fault line. But right at the entrance sat a “Road Closed” sign. Good thing was the sun was just about at that magical low point, bouncing golden light off all of the trees and rocks and hills. The sunset lasted 2 hours, so the drive back to my Cottonwood campsite in the south was just full of colors in the sky. Incredibly beautiful!

I slowly rolled in to my campsite, number 18A, with more neighbors than I had earlier. But I had perfect picnic table placement for watching the Milky Way which once again took up the entire sky. I sat with bugs around my lantern, reading an old Madeleine L’Engle book and took in the night.

DAY 13 - Joshua Tree National Park to Santa Barbara, CA

JULY 28

3181.0 mi to XXX mi

Last night was so nice, and this morning I woke up so sweaty from the sun - at 7 am! So since I was awake early enough, I decided to make to most of it and head off. I stopped some more on my way south out of the park, and recounted all of the wildlife I had seen last night and this morning. They say most of the animals are active between dusk and dawn, which is why it’s so great to camp in the parks (when you are in an authorized campsite and have the proper amount of water!). Between now and last night, I saw 7 jackrabbits, a reddish snake slither across the road on my way out, lots of little kangaroo rats, and a Western Diamondback rattlesnake slithered across the paved area behind the campsites in the morning, going between bushes. The snake attracted a small crowd, just out of respect for how slithery and seemingly unfazed it was by the people around. I’ve read they’re not prone to aggression, so unless you start stepping around their territory or provoking them, they won’t strike. Oh and a roadrunner ran right across the road in front of me on my way out! A safe distance away, but it left me looking around for coyotes ha.

I was headed in the right direction until I got far enough out of the park to pick up a cell signal. Happened right in the middle of tiny freeway. I called my parents, decided to head in the general direction of Santa Barbara but first stopped off at Salvation Mountain in Niland. There are a lot of nice things to say about that place, it’s more incredible in person than you’d think. But it was already reaching 100 outside and there’s still no shade - I’m also starting to feel the effects of the sun and not having proper hydration so I didn’t survive long out there. Between there and Joshua Tree, though, you drive through the Mecca Hills wilderness area, and the painted hills of Box Canyon which are strikingly light and smooth compared to a lot of the canyons around the desert. These are the little surprises you find along long drives which make the road so enjoyable.

Then you drive all along the Salton Sea to Salvation Mountain, and then back along towards Santa Barbara. The drive bypasses all of LA and the outer neighborhoods. I drove through Pasadena with all of the flowers, past all of the Hollywood Sign exits and Burbank with all of the big studio buildings you could see from the road. I really love the idea of LA, the history and what exists in all of Old Hollywood and everything also new about it. So stopping by wasn’t going to be worth it unless I had more time to spend around the place.

After this is when you start getting onto the 101, or the 1, or the PCH. Right around Ventura is when you start passing by the sleepy beach towns only a couple of miles long. It’s where the famous coastal views begin and all of the roadside pull offs start popping up. I decided to head to a hotel tonight in Santa Barbara because it was in close enough proximity to Big Sur for tomorrow, as well as a good place to stop - where I began and ended my last California road trip 2 years ago after Field Trip. So I’ve got a few sweet memories of State St and such right here. Plus the desert absolutely wore me out, the heat is so intense it can affect you obviously until the next day so I was okay spending a little more more for access to a shower, potable water, and a mattress not 6 inches from the ceiling. I got into town around 4pm and sat and binged TV and hydrated and snacked and slept like a baby.

DAY 14 - Santa Barbara, CA to Sunnyvale, CA

JULY 29

XXX mi to XXX mi

Big Sur Big Sur Big Sur. Bug Sur! I reached out to my aunt for ideas on where to stop along the highway headed towards Monterey, and she did the research for me on campgrounds and more as I headed up north. I had my continental breakfast, sat with my coffee and google maps for a bit, then took off.

The route on the 1 takes you inland some right at first, through Los Padres National Forest, which was where I drove through on that same trip 2 years ago. I passed by sweet towns (like Harmony) with small populations and all you could see from the road were short pull-offs leading hikers into the headlands. Once you’re back on the coast, you start getting into the mountains. Super similar to the drives along the Amalfi Coast where it’s sometimes just a few feet from the car in the right lane and the cliffside.

On the straight shots not in the mountains, the highway is divided so if you’re heading north you can still see the beaches and views without the southbound cars in the way. But at the same time, the tight winding roads along the mountain travel both directions so you push your luck finding pull-offs to look out at the water.

So Big Sur is what I’ve always associated the area with, but actually heading northbound on the 1 takes you first through Los Padres again, the same park you drive through leaving Santa Barbara. And there’s no fee along the highway, just lots of one-lane roads and traffic buildups because everyone and their mother wants to stop and look around. And so do I!

As I travelled along, all the campsites were full, and there’s no service so not much of a way to look around for more campsites not right off the road. All day I had been unsure of whether or not I wanted to camp out or head father up to San Jose to stay with my friend Kelly for the night. I stopped maybe every 10 minutes during the 4-ish hour drive today, so in a moment of fatigue, I texted Kelly and headed out of the park to drive through Monterey and into San Jose. For all of the people around today, it was still a peaceful and quiet drive - I daydreamed a lot of daily life around these towns and the stories of everyone else traveling through like me.

Then I made it to Kelly’s right when the sun was so bright on the highway that I missed a few of my turns. Kelly made a yummy dinner and it was so nice not waiting a year to see each other. We caught up and sat on the back porch as the sun went down and her roommates joined us. It was a really sweet evening, and I went to sleep very unsure about my plans for tomorrow except, to San Francisco I go!

WEEK 2 - Tempe, AZ to Sunnyvale, CA

JULY 23 - 29

2406.2 mi to XXX mi

Week One

July 24, 2019

DAY 1: Chattanooga, TN to Vicksburg, MS

JULY 16

0 mi to 446.5 mi

This is the take off morning, and I got off to a late start for technical reasons. But by 11:30am I made my dad take some photos of me in my car window for posterity and then I made him leave back for work before I took off.

I had already planned ahead that I was going to be stopping at the River Town campground in Vicksburg, MS because it was a solid half-way point between home and Austin that didn’t involve me arriving in the dark. I decided to set some ground rules for myself before leaving, one of the important ones being to avoid driving at night unless I’m getting to a place with a friend already there. There’s just too much uncertainty already with arriving somewhere new and alone, so I wanted to just get rid of that added stress.

I popped on a audiobook and set through a pretty familiar drive until I got to around Birmingham, then it was pretty new territory and it really sunk in that I was driving farther and farther away from home. But it felt good! The road wasn’t too exciting, and I needed a nap from all of the build-up this morning. I tested out my car bed for a nap and passed out for 20 minutes haha. I will be having great sleeps on this journey.

Today was overall uneventful. I passed though rain and wind and blue skies and made it to spot 78 in Mississippi by 6:00pm - just in time for calling home and dinner and journaling and thinking.

DAY 2: Vicksburg, MS to Leander, TX

JULY 17

446.5 mi to 1027.1 mi

Despite cracking my windows for ventilation last night, it is still very sticky in a car in the middle of the humid South in the summertime. But it is so lovely waking up so close to the sunrise.

I got off to a strong start with free coffee, an apple, and last years Lazers and Blazers mix on CD. It honestly creates a very amped up morning environment, ideal for driving 8 hours across 3 states. I left Mississippi, drove across the top of Louisiana, and into Hill Country Texas to right outside of Austin.

After getting in to Texas, I took a detour to head towards Brenham, a really quaint town with personality. Unfortunately, everything was closing for the day, but I’d love to come back some day. Then I routed to Georgetown, just to see as much as I could. I would stop off occasionally to take pictures, and even once a couple pulled up right behind me to ask if I needed any help. Texas! But my favorite stop was right along a fence with a tree and must have been 10 black cows lazing around underneath.

My cousin Roxanne works at the Dig Pub close to her house, so I stopped off there first for dinner and drinks and then headed to her and carl’s place for the night. She and I brainstormed for a while what I should get up to tomorrow.

DAY 3: Leander, TX to Leander, TX

JULY 18

1027.1 mi to 1204.6 mi

I woke up with both Frankie and Belly (Roxie and Carl’s dog and cat) in my bed and under my curtains. I looked at the weather for the day and even though I initially wanted to head downtown to the lake side to walk around, it was too hot and humid to even consider that ha. I started with coffee and a kolache from Sorrento’s Drive-Thru and it kept me the best company! I went for a day trip to Gruene, which Roxie recommended, and it was the sweetest small town! Blossoming trees and lots of antique shops and the famous Gruene Hall.

It’s only about an hour outside of the city, so on the way back I decided to treat myself to a movie and went to for Yesterday at the local Alamo Drafthouse. It was such a good way to end the night! I adored it. Then went for more drinks at Roxie’s pub before I headed home. We watched the Office, especially “Frame Toby” until it was late and off to bed.

DAY 4: Leander, TX to Leander, TX

JULY 19

1204.6 mi to 1264.5 mi

I let myself have a late morning and headed to the new central Library to do some computer work and explore. There is the Cookbook Cafe where all the dishes are from cookbooks in the library. I sat for a while figuring out some of my next steps. I booked in at the Tumble In Marfa RV park for tomorrow night and then went to explore the rooftop overlooking Lady Bird lake. It’s so sunny out, so I made the most of the sweat and went for a walk around the lake under and around the bridges and little shorelines. It was nice to walk and not have a plan for a while.

I came back to relax, shower, and decompress from the insane heat. Then we headed out to meet Rachel at a restaurant by the water. You wouldn’t believe you were in Texas! Looked more like a marina in Florida or even back home. It was a really nice night and it ended with a movie in bed relaxing before the drive tomorrow.

DAY 5: Leander, TX to Marfa, TX

JULY 20

1264.5 mi to 1720.5 mi

IT’S MARFA DAY! I left in the morning for pastries and coffee (because, duh.) and then Marfa. I stopped a ton more today because the landscape started changing more and more often - getting closer to the desert instead of hills and farmland.

I also started a new audiobook called “The Island of Sea Women” by Lisa See and it’s beautiful. It keeps me going the ride down along with some old playlists to spice things up.

As I’m getting closer to Marfa, I can see an entire storm cell hovering over a city in the distance (because it’s so flat and you can see all the cities for miles) and I hope and pray it’s not right where I’m headed. Luckily it’s not, but it’s still incredible to see nature manifested like this. It’s sights like this this that keep reminding me how beautiful everything around us is, but it takes certain moments for us to really realize it. The rain coming down just looked like patchy brushstrokes and the light peeled through the breaks in the clouds.

I arrived and self-checked in for the night, grabbed some soup from Porter’s and headed to sit with my feet out the window to enjoy the breeze with my dinner for a while. I realized quickly that I was facing away from the sunset and that I was going to miss it if I didn’t take off and go chasing it! I cleaned up and got in the car to start searching. I drove the half mile to town, passed by Pure Joy, then towards City Hall, made a decision to turn left instead of right, and found my way to the more residential area on the outskirts until the moment I found that break in the trees over the fence where the sunset was just waiting. I drove a few feet and had to stop again, and again and again. It was one of those moments where I had to force myself to put the camera down so I could enjoy it for what it was. So soft and vast and gorgeous.

When I made it back, after a few more stops outside of town seeing horses in fences and flowers along the road, I started to set up my tripod and camp chair and got ready for a few astro shots which turned into 2 hours of experimenting. I couldn’t believe my luck seeing that I parked directly facing the Milky Way - which was HUGE tonight. It felt like I could stretch my arms out side and that would be the measure of how long it was. It was a giddy, child-like feeling when I hit the review button to see the first shot and staring right at those stars. Oh it was a special night.

DAY 6: Marfa, TX to Tempe, AZ

JULY 21

1720.5 mi to 2381.2 mi

I woke up shivering from the cold desert night, but then as soon as the sun started rising over my left shoulder it started warming right up. Something about mornings in the desert! I took a while gathering my things up and getting ready before I went for Jerusalem toast and drip coffee from Do Your Thing. I stopped by the James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor pop-ups and a couple more gorgeous vistas of the road stretching out before I made for El Paso. It was rough saying goodbye to Marfa again.

I knew today was going to be a long 9 hour drive, so I wanted to plan stops each 3 hours to pace myself. I didn’t need to be in Phoenix until the evening, so I let myself drive until dark.

Lunch was at District Coffee in a deserted El Paso, but it helped to get some work done while not sitting in my car. But after leaving El Paso, which I loved the drive out because of the drastic landscape changes and the proximity to Mexico, there were strong cross-winds hit and threats of dust storms. It was the most stressed I had been, keeping up with traffic that was used to these conditions and dealing with minor shakes from the wind. Not fun! But all part of the process.

I would stop the music or book every once in a while to be able to focus on the landscape and how beautiful and unique and everything that it was. It was special to remember those feelings.

The sunset coming in to Phoenix was blinding, but was also so exciting seeing orange sun and palm trees for the first time in a while.

I got to Thao’s and ate and sat and relaxed and talked and that carried us to 3am.

Today was a beautiful day! Everything about this, I expected new things to feel new and uncertain. The unexpectedness, I expected. And it’s exciting every night to look back on the day and how much I’ve accomplished, regardless of the day’s plans.

DAY 7: Tempe, AZ to Tempe, AZ

JULY 22

2381.2 mi to 2406.2 mi

Good morning Arizona! A late morning because of the late night. And a slow breakfast with talking that took us to 2pm and then attempting to write some of this. Thao and I had to separate in the apartment to actually get some work done ha, but I remembered some research I had been doing and how I had come across the Salt River horses. Thao encouraged me to take advantage of that idea instead of waiting for a full day tomorrow (thanks bud!) and I headed off around 5:15pm knowing that they’re most active around sunrise and sunset.

I drove towards the Phon D Sutton Rec Area which is inside Tonto National Forest. Once I started driving in, I knew I wouldn’t be able to recommend this place enough to anyone I knew. It’s a cheap all day parking pass ($12) and even though I just stayed for a few hours, it was worth the price for what I saw and felt and knowing that the proceeds go to help preservation efforts regardless.

I walked and ducked through tree branches along dust and cacti and yellow grass and rocks and the sounds of bugs and birds and a soft sky, knowing the sun was about to go down. I’ll spare the anticipation - I couldn’t find the horses. But I know they were around, and it’s something where you’re never guaranteed the experience of seeing them, but knowing they can exist peacefully in that space somewhere around me and everyone else was, reluctantly, enough for me. If that was my habitat, I would be more than thriving.

As the sun started lowering, and I was standing still for so many minutes on a somewhat small rocky patch hidden by the last few trees to duck under to get to the water, I was alone with the pretty deafening cicadas. I headed back to a little parking area I had seen coming in right near the entrance. Before I had found that rocky patch, I had been walking along the shore behind the low trees and grass, and I looked up to find a saguaro cactus maybe 10 ft tall standing on top of the little hill that protected the river bank.I kind of blindly followed my intuition and walked towards it which took me to the quietest empty parking lot right past the one I was parked in. I headed back along the top of the hills and it just quietly amazed me how easily both this patch of natural beauty and the parking lot I was walking alongside co-existed in this one place. And I was just a person exploring and inspecting the space around me, taking it in. Without these parks and protected areas of the world, how small would the world feel? Nature is so unpredictable and it can defy all of our understand sometimes. And I find myself constantly surprised by how wonderful it is to be around it all, being in the wilderness is always the time for me when I need to be quiet inside.

At my last stop by the water, I ended up walking more along the shoreline behind the grasses and couldn’t find the horses. I had met a man wading in the water kayak ramp who said you could see them a bit down the shore but I would have had to wade in about 4 ft deep. It was a bummer but I didn’t feel it was a possibility at that moment. It felt like if I put too much desperate feeling effort into finding them and not actually taking in the moments and everything else around me, it wouldn’t have been right. So I wandered more and stopped and watched the bright red and soft blue and pink sin set over the river as paddle boarders drifted by and the swallows started swarming in and out of the grass. I felt like I was in the Savannah honestly, how just peaceful and grand the mountains and water and wildlife around me felt. I forced my camera down and closed my eyes for a while and held on to that and knew in the back of my head I found a spot I really felt I would return to one day.

I headed back to Thao’s and we ate and talked and way too easily decided to watch Mamma Mia 2. It’s a special movie to me for a lot of reasons, and it is for Thao as well which made it so easy to talk and discuss and clarify for me why the parts of the movie and characters and songs really mean a lot to me. Again we couldn’t stop talking until she looked at her phone and what felt like maybe 1:30am was actually 4:32am. We laughed, reluctantly called it quits or the night, and headed to sleep.

Week 1, done! And seriously what a full week it’s been. Honestly it’s felt more like a month than just 7 days.

WEEK 1: Chattanooga, TN to Tempe, AZ

JULY 16 - 22

0 mi to 2406.2 mi